Erdogan gives NATO leaders personalized revolvers and bullets – now they have a problem

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gave a unique gift to leaders at the NATO summit in Ankara this week: a revolver engraved with each recipient's name, plus ammunition. The weapon, called the Gumusay .357 Magnum, comes in a wooden display case with a Turkish flag note and a plaque reading: "Gumusay, the first revolver-type pistol produced in our country." Among those who received the gift were Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and European Council President Antonio Costa. While heads of state often exchange gifts at summits, this one surprised many delegations and created headaches over protocol and security. Transporting working firearms across borders is legally complex. Several leaders now face a dilemma: what to do with the pistol? Von der Leyen's spokesperson said the weapon will be "transported and stored safely" and eventually donated to a military museum. Costa's team is following Belgian procedures to bring the revolver back and decommission it. Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever learned what the gift was only after landing in Belgium. He was surprised and immediately handed it to airport police for secure storage. Sanchez's revolver is now under the custody of Spain's Civil Guard, which will disable it before inventory and storage. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer left his weapon in Ankara. British officials will make it unable to fire before sending it to the UK. Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar posted on X: "An unusual gift from President Erdogan at the NATO summit: a Magnum revolver with ammunition, engraved with my name." Polish President Karol Nawrocki's revolver is awaiting customs clearance. An advisor said it will be stored safely and treated with respect as a gift, adding: "What is certain is that no one will fire it." Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney gave his revolver to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for deactivation. The ammunition stayed in Turkey. Canada is looking for a suitable home for the gift, possibly a museum. The Netherlands and Sweden sent their pistols to their embassies in Ankara. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's weapon is stored at the Palazzo Chigi government building with other state gifts. Erdogan's gift highlights Turkey's growing defense industry, a key export and foreign policy tool. This week's NATO summit in Ankara also announced new defense contracts worth over $50 billion, as leaders sought to project unity after attacks from US President Donald Trump.